The Canadian War Museum is being criticized for accepting funding from one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers for a speakers’ series as well as for a new exhibit devoted to recent conflicts such as Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Raytheon Canada, a subsidiary of the U.S. arms giant Raytheon, is helping sponsor the World at War – International Speaker Series at the museum, which this year looks at the cost and impact of the First World War. Raytheon’s sponsorship will also provide financial support for the development of a new module, planned for 2017, in the museum’s gallery devoted to recent wars.

Raytheon is the fourth-largest defence contractor in the U.S., and is the world’s largest producer of guided missiles. It supplies many of the smart bombs used by the Canadian Forces. It is also a key manufacturer for radars and sensors for many militaries.

The acceptance of the money puts the war museum in a conflict of interest, said Pierre Nantel, the NDP’s critic for the culture and heritage portfolios. “It’s the same as a furniture museum taking a donation from the company that makes La-Z-y Boy chairs,” said Nantel. “You get compromised with that money. This is advertising for (Raytheon) whose business is weapons.”

But Yasmine Mingay, the war museum’s director of public affairs, said Raytheon’s $40,000 donation in no way comprises the museum’s integrity.

Although the museum receives the bulk of its funding from the federal government, financing from Canadian businesses also plays a role, she added.

“Infrastructure costs, building maintenance and the costs for developing exhibitions and programs are always a challenge so financial support from companies like Raytheon continue to allow us to develop the programs that tell the stories of our military history,” Mingay said.

“At the end of the day, the content and material that goes into any of our work is ours so I don’t see it as a conflict of interest,” she added.

Mingay noted the museum has received funding from similar firms in the past, adding that at the former museum site on Sussex Drive, General Motors sponsored an area for armoured vehicles. At the time, one of the firm’s subsidiaries was also building armoured vehicles.

But James Turk, a visiting professor at Ryerson University, said the museum shouldn’t be accepting money from private interest groups such as arms manufacturers because it creates a direct conflict of interest. “To what extent is the museum going to be less fearless on the public education about the nature of war, given that a company whose raison d’être is to provide the material for war, is also in this case providing the money?” said Turk, who has raised issues before about the influence of private donor funding at other museums. “It’s vital that the public be reassured that the conclusions of exhibits and material presented is not being shaped by donors’ interests.”

Turk said it is up to governments to properly fund museums so they can be free of any influence.

Raytheon did not respond to a request for comment. But Raytheon Canada president Mark Nicol characterized the firm as a supporter of education. “As an education advocate, Raytheon values this opportunity for all to learn about an important period of Canadian history,” Nicol said in a statement.

Historian Desmond Morton said he doesn’t see the museum’s acceptance of the money as an issue unless Raytheon has control over the content of the speakers’ series. “Yes, Raytheon is a major arms manufacturer but provided it does not dictate the choice or content of the proposed lecture, I see no harm,” Morton said. “No doubt they would like some sympathetic publicity but that is not the function of the CWM.”

The museum initiated its World at War – International Speaker Series in 2014. Individual events are presented in a variety of formats, including lectures, debates and panel discussions. Events scheduled for 2016 will focus on the Battle of the Somme, Russia’s experience on the Eastern Front and the war in northern France.